Gainey, Norman getting ready for Charlotte opener

Tank Norman doesn’t deny that things have gotten a little tougher now that the former Richlands High football standout is in his second year with the North Carolina-Charlotte program.

Chris Miller-Prep Sports Writer

Tank Norman doesn’t deny that things have gotten a little tougher now that the former Richlands High football standout is in his second year with the North Carolina-Charlotte program.

“Summer workouts, they are a lot more intense now that the season is coming up real soon, but it’s fun,” Norman said. “We are working hard. We are trying to show the new guys the ropes and teach them the offense and defense. The coaches warned us that we were going to crank it up come the summer.”

Former Northside standout DonJore Gainey agrees that practices are more difficult as the 49ers prepare for the first game in the history of the program on Aug. 31 at home against Campbell.

“Everything has been more intense,” Gainey said. “Everybody is looking forward to the season. We just want to get at it and go hard and show what we are made of. It’s been a year of practicing nonstop and a lot of people want to see what we are about.”

For Gainey and Norman, the wait will finally be worth it.

Both players, who graduated from high school in 2012, were part of Charlotte’s first recruiting class — which served a red-shirt year last season — and have since practiced with the 49ers in anticipation of this year’s first season.

The 49ers will compete as an independent NCAA Division I-Football Championship Subdivision team their first two seasons before joining Conference USA in 2015 as a Football Bowl Subdivision program.

Charlotte is coached by Brad Lambert.

“It was extremely hard for me,” said Gainey, a running back. “Coming from high school to college, it was a big change. I love the game of football. But we are counting the days down as they come.”

Gainey said he never regretted his decision to join Charlotte.

“I felt like I was ready to be there at the Division I level, but I knew it was better for me to sit out a year and learn things,” he said.

On the practice field, things may have gotten monotonous for Norman and Gainey and the rest of the 49ers. Still, Norman, a star quarterback at Richlands who’s playing cornerback for the 49ers, said the coaches made sure to keep things fresh so that players didn’t feel they were wasting their time.

“Last year we did a lot of practicing and lifting weights, but we tried to throw in a couple of scrimmages with ourselves,” he said. “We tried to switch up things so things didn’t get boring.”

Instead of getting frustrated, Norman knew all the hard work would pay off in helping Charlotte build its program while also being part of its foundation.

“There’s a lot of pride knowing we are going to be the first ever to do anything,” Norman said. “We are going to be the first ones getting records and the first to wear uniforms. It motivates us every day and it makes us work hard because we don’t want to disappoint anybody.”

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound Gainey, the 2011 area most valuable player by The Daily News, said the coaching staff has yet to release a depth chart, but he’s confident in what he can do since he’s had a productive summer.

“I’ve been doing great,” Gainey said. “I’ve just been working. My numbers in the weight room went up. I’m learning new plays and different things. My goal is to be a team player and to do anything I have to do for us to win.”

Meanwhile, the 5-11, 180-pound Norman, the 2010 MVP by The Daily News, said he’s been working with the first-team defense. Norman was primarily an option quarterback at Richlands.

“The biggest adjustment to me was the footwork, and I never focused on just defense,” he said. “In high school they let me play defense, but I didn’t really practice it. When I got here, we did a lot of stuff with footwork that I wasn’t really used to so it took me some time.

“But I feel I’m really learning the position. I think I will be playing the boundaries.”

But while Norman has got acclimated to his position, he and his teammates will now need to adjust to all the planning that goes with having a game schedule. He said it was tough enough worrying about class and practice, but now players will have to factor in road trips as they plan their weeks.

“We will be traveling and so it’s going to teach us a lot of responsibilities,” Norman said. “I’m sure it will be (an adjustment), but I’m anxious to experience that as a college athlete.”

Fortunately for Norman and Gainey, they won’t have to worry about road trips until a Sept. 28 game at Presbyterian in Clinton, S.C. Charlotte’s first three games will be played at home at McColl-Richardson Field.

“We have a lot of supporters, from our fans, family and friends,” Gainey said. “The first game will be sold out. We just have to come out and play.”

Starting with the first game against Campbell.

“I’m not sure I will get any sleep that Friday because I’ll be so amped to play,” Norman said. “I’ll be a nervous and excited.”